Page 94 of Chasing Fireflies

“My arms are so sore. I won’t be able to lift a toothpick,” Sara says. White drops of paint are all over her old overalls, and she’s barefoot with baby blue toenails. I smile at her because she looks so damn beautiful right now I can’t imagine anything prettier.

“What are you staring at?” she asks, giving me a grin.

“You.”

“Why me?” She climbs down from the ladder and lays her paint roller down onto the paint tray. She wipes her forehead with the back of her hand before placing both hands on her hips.

“You’re so goddamn beautiful.”

“Cash.” She smiles. I walk over to her, and she drops her arms. As I look into her eyes, she laughs.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because you’re being all sappy again,” she tells me.

“Oh, I’m being sappy?” I ask her playfully.

“Yes,” she says, shaking her head and placing her hands onto my chest. I surprise her and lift her up. She grins wider before she takes her bottom lip between her teeth. I kiss her, making her let it go. Dropping to my knees, I lay her down on the old sheets we have on the floor that catch the paint droppings. She smells so good and tastes even better. I run my hand up the side of her body, making my way up to the clasp on her overalls. I unhook them, and they fall behind her back onto the floor. She slides them down, and I lift her shirt up. Going down, I kiss all over her stomach, then help take her pants off. I hook my fingers into her panties, and they go, too, before I make quick work of undoing my pants.

She’s naked on our living room floor, and I’m still fully dressed. I pull myself out and line up at her entrance. She’s soaked, and I moan as she surrounds me. Her legs snake around my waist, and I cover her lips again with mine as she slides my baseball hat off. I make her groan, and she drives me crazy when she runs her hands through my hair. She’s my sweet thing, my life, my fucking crazy heart, and I make her see stars as a strong wind enters our house through every open window. It blows the sheets around us, and Sara’s body lifts up toward me as she comes and tells me how much she loves me.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Cash

I throw the line into the water and set my pole down so I can help Little Miss throw hers out.

“Is Mommy gonna be okay?” she asks me.

“Yeah, Grandma is home with her.”

“She seems so sad, and I think I should be there with her.”

“Well, Mommy wants fish tonight, and Daddy needed a fishing buddy.”

“Okay,” she says. After I put her line in, we take a seat on the ground and look out over the water. “There’s another fisherman over there, Daddy,” Ellie says, pointing.

“Yep, he’s gonna catch him some dinner, too.”

He walks closer to us, and my wild child yells at him, “Hey! What’s your name?”

“Ellie,” I scowl.

“I’m just saying hey, Daddy.”

“You know you aren’t supposed to talk to strangers.”

The man turns toward us, and I see who it is. He doesn’t look at me, only at Ellie. “Name’s Lucas,” he says. “What’s yours?”

“Mine’s Little Miss,” she says proudly. “He’s not a stranger now, Daddy.” She grins at me.

“Pick up your pole, baby girl.”

“But what about the fish?”

“Do as I say. Now,” I tell her. She pouts, but does it anyway. “Go on and get in the truck.” She doesn’t question me this time. “Lucas, what business you got coming back here?” I ask, walking over to him.

“Well, deputy, I didn’t realize that was you there. You got a little one now?” he asks, looking past me at Ellie.

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